|
 Exclusive Interview with Dick Traum - Founder of The Achilles Track Club
MG: How did your disability come about?
DT: When I was 24 years old, I was standing behind my car at a gas station along the NJ turnpike when another car came up behind my car and hit me into my car. As a result, I had to have one of my legs amputated.
MG: Were you always athletic?
DT: I was a very good High School athlete and an above average College athlete; I was a wrestler in college. After my accident, I didn't really participate in athletics for 10 years. Then, a friend of mine, who was relatively inactive, died of a heart attack. After that happened, I decided to join the West Side YMCA and take up an exercise program. Along with doing exercises like sit-ups and push-ups, they insisted that you run to participate in the program. They asked me, if, as an amputee, I could run and I said "sure." So, that's how I found out I could do it. I built up to running a mile, which was impressive for an above-the-leg amputee. Over a period of time, I got caught up with my type A personality--if I could do 1 mile, could I do 2 miles, 4 miles, etc… Before I knew it, I was signing up for the New York City Marathon in 1976.
MG: How many marathons have you competed in?
DT: I've competed in 10 marathons and one ultra-marathon (100K) on foot using an artificial leg, and I've competed in the hand-crank wheelchair race in 2 marathons and in one ultra-marathon (over 60 miles).
MG: What type of training do you do?
DT: Generally, I run 3 times a week: I try to do 10-15 miles on Saturday, 15-20 miles on Sunday and then whatever I can fit in during the week-usually only a few miles. If I'm training for a hand-crank wheelchair race, I try to do some wheelchair training too, schedule and weather permitting. It's more difficult to do wheelchair training in bad weather than it is to do foot training, so it's tough to wheelchair train in the winter.
MG: What inspired you to found The Achilles Track Club?
DT: After the NYC Marathon in '76, I kept up with my running. Then, as a board member of the New York Road Runners Club (NYRRC) in 1982, I thought it would be good to set up a program to encourage other people with disabilities to get involved with running. That program evolved into The Achilles Track Club, which started in January 1983. By the end of 1983, we had 6 marathon runners. Membership kept building and last year we had over 300 members from 40 countries and 100 chapters participate in the New York City Marathon.
MG: What are your goals for the Achilles Marathon this year? For the future?
DT: We have about 2000 people, both disabled and able-bodied, who will be participating in the race this year, and the main goal is to have a successful event. For the future, we'd like to see the Achilles Marathon grow in at least one of two ways. One way is to change the racecourse so it covers more ground, thereby giving the race greater exposure and making it more challenging for the competitors. An idea that came to us from the NYRRC is to have the race go from Prospect Park in Brooklyn, across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan, around City Hall and back to Brooklyn. Another way to grow the event is to take the concept and use it in other cities.
MG: How does the Achilles Marathon differ from other marathon events?
DT: The Achilles Marathon is for everyone, whether they are disabled or able-bodied. It's providing disabled runners with an opportunity to compete in an event where they can win awards and prize money, and able-bodied people will have that opportunity too. However, the emphasis for this event is more on the disabled runners. We have a program for wheelchair users in which we lend them a hand-crank wheelchair and give them an opportunity to win the chair. They have to do six races in New York City, and then run the Achilles Marathon. The intention is that we're trying to get a critical mass of hand-crank wheelchair users in New York City. Second, the event is about fundraising. The United Way is the founding sponsor, and the event is geared towards raising money for charities, such as the United Way as well as other nonprofit organizations. Third, there's a program geared towards kids. We have 650 kids who'll be participating in the Achilles Marathon, and every one of them will win a pair of Reebok running shoes just by taking part in the event. It's called the Fleet Feet program. Many of these kids come from poor families, and it is a significant reward for them to win new shoes. The importance lies in getting them involved in an activity that's fun and healthful.
MG: How has The Achilles Track Club changed your life?
DT: One of the most important things about the club is that it encourages me to get out there to train. The other thing is that it's given me the opportunity to make a lot of friends, so when I get out in the morning, it's not just about running but also about getting together with my peers. I'm meeting people whom I enjoy being with, so it's more of a social thing. I think that's why a lot of people join Achilles. It's not necessarily about being the best competitor; rather it's about getting out there to train and share your experience with friends.
|
Click Here for an interview with Achilles Runner, Donald Arthur.
Click Here for an interview with Achilles Runner, Katie Kenney.
Click Here for an interview with Achilles Runner, Dan Trush. |
|
|
